City agrees to report immigrant arrests to federal agents

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — Officials in a cash-poor northeast Ohio city say they’ve agreed to report the arrests of immigrants who are in the country illegally after accepting federal grant money.

Cleveland.com reports the Justice Department awarded East Cleveland more than $425,000 this week. The Justice Department says they gave special consideration to applicants that agreed to report immigrants in custody without proper documentation, and to allow immigration agents into jails.

East Cleveland officials say they plan to use the grant money to hire two police officers.

Mayor Brandon King, a Democrat, says the city is willing to cooperate with federal authorities if it puts more officers on the street.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions says 80 percent of law enforcement agencies receiving the grant have agreed to work with federal immigration agents.

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